Metal shelving



w. N. vANcE METAL SHELVING June 18, 1929.

Filed May 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 18, 19,29. w. N. vANcE 717,635

METAL SHELVING Filed May 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES l l i f 1,717,635

PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER N. VANCE, OE CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR, RY ME'sNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To LYON METAL PRODUCTS, INCORPORATED, OE AURORAZILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION F ILLINOIS.

METAL SHELVING.

This invention relates in general to metal shelving, and has more particular reference to the provision of a construction adapted to readily vary the size of compartments in r which to hold various articles in compact, assorted arrangement, as more clearly set forth in my co-`pending application Serial No. 407,848, filed September 1, 1920.

A principal object'of the invention is the lo provision of a shelf divider arrangement and mounting of improved form and adapted for general use yin metal shelving.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a structure of the character above-noted, consisting of few and simple parts, easily assembled and rearranged, adapted to be economically manufactured, and which will be strong and durable and not require frequent repairs or replacement of the parts. l

Numerous other objects and advantagesof the invention-will be' apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses'a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a main shelf assemblage in which my f :3o present invention is embodied;

i Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

'Fig l is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.r

For the purpose of illustrating my inven- Y ports by reason of the number'of the slots being vertically adjustable as to height. Main shelves 15 are adapted to rest yupon 50 the shelf supports L'as will be readily understood. A tool or other small article-holderL of unitary construction is lprovided and this consists of side sheet metal plates 16 tapering from the bottom upwardly yand provided with inturned front flanges 17 and inturned rear flangeslS. 'The front flanges are turned back upon themselves providing a curlfor false pwire edge, they extremities 19 ofthe flanges resting against Lthe flange bodies.

A plurality of closely arranged shelves `21 f are positioned between the upright plates` 16 and each yof these consists/of' a single plate s in the present instance having its front-to-back edges bent up into the flanges 22. These flanges are adapted to lie against the innerface of the bodies of the plates 16 and to bebolted in place by bolts 23 or Otherwise fastened.y At the r'earfof' each shelf the sheet is 'bent up at 24@ to provide 70 an upstandingfwall 25y above ywhich the material is bent inwardly and downwardly at 26 to providey a depending flange 27. This flange is recessed at intervals at 28 and beneath each recess the material of the sheet is pressed inwardly in V formation at the bend 24. This forms gussets or braces f 29 arranged beneath the recesses 28. These f gussets or braces 29 have two important functions, namely, that of reinforcing or stiffening the material of the shelf and also of forming or helping to form an interlocking connection between/the shelf and shelf dividers 31 as will be presently described.

Each shelf divider 31 consists Ofa long 85 strip of material bent 'back almost upon itself along its center at 32 and having its longitudinal edges bent into form flanges 33k facing each otherand for receiving between `them a fastening bolt 34. The flanges 33 arey cut away at the r'ear to accommodate ak gusset or V 29 andthe height ofy the divider is such that when thus engaged its upper edge will rest nicely in the'recess 32. A row of apertures 35 extendlength- 95 wise of the shelf and near rthe front and-the bolt 34 is adapted to be disposed through an appropriate one of these recesses to lock the front end of the shelf divider and main- Vtain it in interlocked engagement'with the shelf at its rearend.` At the front the sheetV 21 is turned up into a .bin front 3G and to this are secured label holders 37' in any preferred fashion.

The shelf'may: also be secured to the rearV upright flanges 18 of the side plates by bolts 38 taking through the shelf parts 25 at the rear and through these flanges, and, thus constructedand formed, a solid unitary structure results@ Miniature shelving construction may be used independently or may be positioned in'main shelving by suitably arr'ano'inof the cross-sui orts to accommoof said divider.

date it. A shelf, havingfianges 39, which may be-bolted to the uprights, is provided at' the top of said minature construction to: give it proper finish andstrength when used alone.

It is thought vthat the rinvention and many `vof its attendant advantages willbe understood from the foregoing description, and

it will Vbe apparent that Lvarious changes maylbe made in the form,'construction and arrangement ofthe .parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages,

-V-tlie; form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.l "I claim:y y f Y l. Shelving, comprising,`a shelf member [having ranupturned flange yat Vits rear, the `,upper edge of said flangeV being bent down and recessed, and af shelf divider'disposed upon thel shelf in upright position with 'its rear edgeengaged in a said recess, and means for vrpreventing movement of the vfront end 2. ,Sheet metal shelving, comprising, a shelf member having an 11p-turned flangev at its rear,theupperedge ofsaidllange being bent downwardly andnotclied at a plurality yeo ofpoints, a kplurality of protuberances formed at the intersection of said flange and said shelf'member, and a sheet metal divider formed to embrace said protuberances and tofsimultaneously engage in a said notch in the downwardly bent portion of the flange Yand to simultaneously engage i-n one of said knotches in nthe,downwardly ben-t portion of the flange to secure 'an endY thereof in place,

Y I saidv sheet, metal divider beingadapted to receive a'bolt adjacentrits opposite ,end and being held infixcd position by said bolt, said pi'otuberance and said notch.

4.Sheet metal shelving, comprising,

shelf supporting Vmeans, a shelf member formed for attachment to said supporting means and to provide an upwardly extending flange along an edge thereof, the upper edge kof said flange beingv formed inwardly of the flangeaiid notched at a. plurality of points, a protuberance formed in the shelf member beneath each notch in the inwardly extending portion of thel flange,A a plurality of spaced apertures arrangedy in said shelf member in a` postiion remote from said flange, and al shelf divider einbracing'said protuberance and engaging said notches, and a device extending through the apertures in the shelf member and arranged to secure said divider in fixed position.

5. Sheet metal shelving, comprising spaced apart uprights, a vertical tier of spacedV apart shelves, disposed between said uprights, eac-h shelf comprising a sheet metal member having opposed flanges, each of Ywhich is connected to one` of said uprights andv each of said shelves having upstanding integral front and rear flanges, the rear flange being bent downwardly atits upper portionV to provide a depending fold having a plurality of spaced Vapart notches therein, `said upstanding rear flange being fastened to lateral flanges on said uprights and shelf dividers disposed on the upper surfaces; of

Vcertain of said shelves, eachshelf divider having its top portion engaged within` a notch in the depending fold'of said rear upstanding flangeand means for fastening each divider to its shelf portion to maintain it in predetermined position.

6. Sheet met-al shelving comprising a main shelf structure which comprises a plurality of spaced uprights each upright having a vertical series of. spaced slots formed therein, a plurality of bearer bars disposed in Vpredetermined registering slots, afplurality of main shelf members supported byv said bearer bars and providing a vertical tier of main shelves having shelf spaces Vbetween adjacent'shelves, and avunitary shelf struc` ture engaging said main shelf structure within one of said shelf' spaces to provide supp'lemental shelvesV forfsundry uses, said unitary shelf structure comprising spacedplatesextending vertically vbetween adjacentshelves of said main shelf structure, said spaced vplates having relatively wide bases and nar- Vrow top portions'and vertical rear edges, saidvertical edges being inturned to provide fverticallyy disposed rear flanges, a plurality of sheet metal shelves arranged between said plates, saidshelves having upright side 1 flanges secured toV said Vplates and upright rear flanges similarly secured toy said rear vertical flanges `to provide a rigid shelf apex portion companion to and engaging said notched portion thereunder to prevent 10 lateral or vertical movement of the divider, and means engaging the base of Said divider and said shelf for securing said divider in fixed position in said shelf.

WALTER N. vANoE. 

